Communication and relay systems for vehicles

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided to facilitate information sharing between vehicles. A relay vehicle may be provided which is in communication with a first group of remote vehicles over a first network and a second group of remote vehicles over a second network.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communication system of a relay vehicle for relaying information, comprising:
 a first communication platform of a relay vehicle operable to receive a first communication signal from a first network, the first communication signal including first remote vehicle transmission data associated with a first remote vehicle, the first communication platform operable to generate an update notification including the first remote vehicle transmission data;   a second communication platform of the relay vehicle operable to communicate with a second remote vehicle over a second network, the second communication platform operable to receive the first remote vehicle transmission data, the second communication platform operable to generate a second communication signal for the second network, the second communication signal including the first remote vehicle transmission data;   an electronic controller of the relay vehicle operable to receive relay vehicle transmission data from at least one data collection device of the relay vehicle, and further operable to communicate with the first communication platform and the second communication platform, operable to receive the update notification from the first communication platform, and operable to cause the first remote vehicle transmission data and the relay vehicle transmission data to be provided to the second network; and   at least one database configured to store:
 profile information of at least the first remote vehicle and the second remote vehicle; and 
 the first remote vehicle transmission data until the second communication platform is prepared to communicate with the second remote vehicle over the second network, the second network being distinct from the first network. 
   
     
     
         2 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication platform is operable to associate the remote vehicle transmission data to a remote vehicle profile. 
     
     
         3 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein at the relay vehicle, a profile is associated with the remote vehicle transmission data, the profile configured to be updated in response to the update notification. 
     
     
         4 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the second communication signal includes relay vehicle transmission data. 
     
     
         5 . The communication system of  claim 4 , wherein the second communication platform is operable to store the remote vehicle transmission data at least until the second communication platform prepares the second communication signal for transmission. 
     
     
         6 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the second communication platform is operable to receive second remote vehicle transmission data from the second remote vehicle over the second network, and the relay vehicle is configured to store the second remote vehicle transmission data separate from the first remote vehicle transmission data. 
     
     
         7 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller of the relay vehicle causes the relay vehicle to display a plurality of vehicle groups, wherein at least one vehicle group includes the first remote vehicle and the second remote vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller of the relay vehicle causes the relay vehicle to display an indication, associated with a vehicle group, of whether vehicles included in the vehicle group are configured to communicate via one or more of the first communication platform or the second communication platform. 
     
     
         9 . The communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic controller of the relay vehicle receives a user input from a user interface of the relay vehicle, and, in response to the user input, join at least a first vehicle group and a second vehicle group, wherein the relay vehicle is configured to communicate with one or more vehicles in the first vehicle group via the first interface and communicate with one or more vehicles in the second vehicle group via the second interface. 
     
     
         10 . A method of relaying information from a first network of vehicles to a second network, the method comprising:
 receiving a first communication signal from a first remote vehicle via a first communication platform of a relay vehicle, the first communication signal including first remote vehicle transmission data;   providing the first remote vehicle transmission data from the first communication platform to an electronic controller of the relay vehicle, the electronic controller communicably coupled to a second communication platform of the relay vehicle;   obtaining a second communication signal from a second remote vehicle via the second communication platform of the relay vehicle, the second communication signal including second remote vehicle transmission data;   determining if the second communication platform is prepared to communicate with the second network;   providing the first remote vehicle transmission data to the second communication platform when the second communication platform is prepared to communicate with the second network;   storing, at the relay vehicle, a first profile including the first remote vehicle transmission data and a second profile including the second remote vehicle transmission data; and   sending the first remote vehicle transmission data via the second communication platform to the second remote vehicle over the second network, the second network being distinct from the first network.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the remote vehicle transmission data is first remote vehicle transmission data, the method further comprising:
 receiving a second communication signal from the second remote vehicle via the second communication platform, the second communication signal including second remote vehicle transmission data.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing the second remote vehicle transmission data separate from the remote vehicle transmission data from the first remote vehicle.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 associating the remote vehicle transmission data with a remote vehicle network identifier.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 associating the remote vehicle transmission data with a first profile.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving a first update notification from the first communication platform;   updating the first profile with the first update notification;   sending the first profile to the second remote vehicle over the second network by the second communication platform.   
     
     
         16 . A communication system of a relay vehicle for relaying information, comprising:
 a first communication platform of a relay vehicle operable to receive a first communication signal from a first network, the first communication signal including first remote vehicle transmission data associated with a first remote vehicle, the first communication platform operable to generate a first update notification including the first remote vehicle transmission data;   a second communication platform of the relay vehicle operable to communicate with a second network, the second communication platform operable to receive the first remote vehicle transmission data, the second communication platform operable to generate a second communication signal for the second network, the second communication signal including the first remote vehicle transmission data, and the second communication platform configured to receive a third communication signal from the second network, the third communication signal including second remote vehicle transmission data associated with a second remote vehicle, the second communication platform operable to generate a second update notification including the second remote vehicle transmission data;   at least one database operable to communicate with each of the first communication platform and the second communication platform, the at least one database configured to store profile information of at least the first remote vehicle and the second remote vehicle and to associate the first remote vehicle transmission data with a first profile and the second remote vehicle transmission data with a second profile, wherein the first remote vehicle transmission data of the first profile includes a first network identifier associated with the first remote vehicle and a fuel level of the first remote vehicle and the second remote vehicle transmission data of the second profile includes a second network identifier associated with the second remote vehicle and a second fuel level of the second remote vehicle; and   an electronic controller of the relay vehicle operable to communicate with the first communication platform and the second communication platform, operable to receive the first update notification from the first communication platform and the second update notification from the second communication platform, and operable to cause the first profile to be provided to the second network.   
     
     
         17 . The communication system of  claim 16 , wherein the electronic controller is operable to cause the second profile to be provided to the first network. 
     
     
         18 . The relay vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the first communication signal is a radio signal and the first network is a radio network. 
     
     
         19 . The relay vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the second communication signal is a cellular signal and the second network is a web-based network.